What Are The Differences Between Kickboxing VS Boxing?

Last Updated on October 2, 2021 by

The major difference between boxing and kickboxing is that boxing involves using arm techniques (throwing of punches and jabs), while kickboxing involves using both arm and leg techniques. Though these two combat sports have so much in common, they still have their differences. Their major differences come in the ruleset, fight positioning & movement, strategy, and techniques. If you’re not planning to compete in the sport as a professional, both art forms are effective for self-defense. In this blog post, we’ll quickly run through the major differences in detail for a better understanding of each sport. Let’s roll!

Kickboxing VS Boxing – Differences 

Fighting Techniques 

The fighting techniques of the two sports are different and unique. Boxing allows only arm techniques while kickboxing allows both arm and feet techniques. Kickboxing has a more different approach, movements, positions to combat since it requires fighters to attack and defend against punches and leg attacks as well. The punching techniques of the same sport are the same thing. They both involve the use of uppercuts, jabs, and hook with some divergences such as overhand punches. 

When you’re watching a kickboxing fight, you’ll notice that a fighter might sometimes make a spinning back fist shot which is never allowed in boxing. Kick involvements in kickboxing mean that fighters need to move quickly in and out of shots. Concerning the stance during a fight, a boxer knows the exact point he needs to stand to avoid getting hit by a punch from the waist up. A kickboxer, however, needs to be in a stance to avoid both punches and leg kicks from their whole body.

Movement Differences

Kickboxing requires more tactical movements because fighters get longer reach with their feet than they do with punches. When you’re practicing kickboxing, you’ll get to learn about defending low kicks. Don’t forget that a fighter will have an upper hand over his opponent when there’s a wrong move that gives room for a few decent shots. That’s why kickboxers keep a greater distance when they are guarding as they make use of quick jams and in-and-out sharp movements to minimize damages. That’s not the case with boxing since there’s a limited area to cover. Boxing doesn’t allow any under-waist strike so it is not quite easy to attack the defense of your opponent by getting a hit for it. 

Rules Differences

The first rule difference between the two sports is that boxing only permits the use of arm techniques, while kickboxing allows fighters to use both arm and feet techniques. But that’s not all. There’s more.

 Kickboxing allows certain elbow strikes that will get a fighter disqualified in boxing. Boxing has a total of 12 rounds in which each round lasts only 3 minutes. However, winners of the fight can be determined before the 12^th round if one fighter knocks out his opponent. If there’s no winner after the 12^th round, the judge decides the winner by the accumulated score in each round. 

In kickboxing, there’s a total of 3 to 10 rounds in which each round lasts only 2-3 minutes each with a one-minute rest in-between rounds. The rules of equipment are straightforward. Boxers wear boxing boots and gloves, while kickboxers fight barefoot with elastic bandages to support ankles.   

The Table Below Contains The Major Differences Between Kickboxing And Boxing

Criteria	Kickboxing	Boxing
Short Description	Kickboxing is a form of combat sport that involves the use of feet and arm techniques	Boxing is a form of combat sport that involves the use of fist or arm techniques alone. Boxers fight with padded gloves in a roped square ring.
Advent	Kickboxing originated from Japan	Traditional boxing originated from Greece, while modern-day boxing was originated from America
Fighting Techniques	Kicks, punches, and jabs are all allowed during a fight	Punches, jabs, and blocks are only during a fight
Valuable Techniques	Continuous kicking, boxing, and striking are engaged as valuable techniques in the sport	Clinching, Circling, and Left Jab are engaged as valuable techniques in the sports
Duckling	In kickboxing, you’re not allowed to duck low or move away with your feet	In boxing, you’re allowed to duck low or move away with your feet
Body Parts Engaged	Kickboxing allows the use of both hands and feet	Boxing only allows the use of hands
Restrictions	There are limited restrictions in kickboxing. You can strike your opponent anywhere	You can not strike your opponent on his throat or below the belt
Advantages Of Other Parts	In kickboxing, the hands, feet, elbow, knees, and sometimes heads are used to attack the opponents	You can only use your hands to throw punches
Olympics	Kickboxing is not part of the Olympic sports	Boxing is one of the major parts of Olympic sports.
Associations	WAKO: World Association of Kickboxing Organizations.WKO: World Kickboxing AssociationIKF: International Kickboxing Federation	IBF: International Boxing FederationWBA: World Boxing AssociationWBC: World Boxing CouncilWBO: World Boxing Organization

FAQs

For a better understanding of the differences between boxing and kickboxing, we’ve composed a list of frequently asked questions and answers. 

Closing Thought – Wrapping It Up! 

Just like we stated above, the main disparity between the two sports is that kickboxing focuses on fighting with both hands and feet while boxing only focuses on fighting with the hands alone. Furthermore, kickboxers are allowed to punch and kick their opponents. Boxers are only allowed to punch, jam, and block. We’ve come to the final chapter of this informative article. We hope you were able to find good and reliable resources in your quest to know the differences between boxing and martial arts. If you have any questions or comments about the article topic, don’t hesitate to contact us. Thanks!